St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-01-04

1Hc young lduy lduSueU DIS SIG duccleuly
peeled her orange. Il am approaching the
scenes of my nativity" she replied, with
tragic wave of her. hand. Did you not
know that | am Ethelberta, the Long-Lost
Child of the Prairie %
A ready laugh from the good humored
manager rewarded this attempt at wit
When the laugh had subsidized she beckoned
the waiter girl and asked her a question
that made her stare. .
rs there person in town named Mrs.
Phipps?" she said.
DO you mean" replied the waiting girl,
''the crazy Mrs. Phipps?"
rs she craZy?" The actress started as
she said this, and grew little pale under
her rouge.
Law. yes. Whenever she goes by the
boys holler out old Mrs. Phipps, chase
her till she skips, and a lot more. l don't
know the rest, but it makes her awful
mad"
where does she live?"
''Same old place she always has lived.
First corner below the postoffice after you
leave the main street."
The speaker looked curiously at her inter-
locutOr when she answered thus. The
actress rather abruptly rose and left the
dining room.
That night after tea, on her way to the
hall, where the representation was to be
given, the actress found out the corner
where Mrs. Phipps lived, and. creeping up
to the window, pressed her face against the
pane. By the dim light of the lamp upon
the table she saw that the room was dirty
and squalid. The children were huddled to-
gether i'll group around the broken stove.
The indstinct figure of a woman lay upon
bed in the corner. Accustomed herself
to sort of tawdry splendor, this actual
misery almost atfrighted the spectator.
| Directly there was change in the aspect
of the room. A small, old-lool1ing child
was putting some food upon the table. The
woman on the bed had risen and was pin
ming shawl around her.
Where are you going mother" she
heard this wizened mite of child say.
Pm a-going to see the show" said the
woman. 81 think likely your sister Matte
| may be there. | seen picture down town
| that looked like her. l have the docky-
ments from the mayor"
The actress shrank away as her mother
came out.
Thatn she acted badly. Her dane
! ing was without expression. The usual APP
| plause was lacking and the manager was
veXed.
But suddenly, in the midst of it all, rang
out the cry of ''Fire!'
In few minutes the hall was deserted,
and the actress, in her tulle and spangleS,
paused with the song upon her lips. Then
| she caught the excitement. slipped on a
| heavy cloak which she found in the vesti-
bule and buckled arounda her ankles a pair
| of arctic OverShoes.
The air was full of shouts and cries. The
snow was red from the glare of the sky.
| She ran swiftly down the street until she
found herself IN the midst of the throng.
Never mind that old rattle-trapw
shouted loud voice. play OIL the next
houses. If the wind takes them tonight,
good-by to the town."
| A shower of water from the hose upon
the next roof obeyed this command A
child's scream rang out sharply, but nobody
heard or needed it-nobody, except the
actress, who, in mans hat and ulster
| stood unnOticed among the men.
What is it?" she asked, reaching the
| child with a swift stride.
Mothers in there,' gasped the small
creature, scarcely able to articulate. Her
small face was distorted with anguish, as
| she pointed to the upper windows, brilliant
in the flames. A fireman, just arrived. saw
the gesture, and instantly OWNED the stu
alton.
Mrs. Phippsr' he calculated. Good
Lord, she's as crazy as loon"
He rushed into the burning house and up
| the crumbling stair. Somebody followed
close at his heels; but he did not turn to see
who it was. In an upper room, kneeling
beside an old trunk, with a doll and few
picture books in her hand. they found Mrs.
Phipps.
Il thought would try and save Mattie's
things" she observed. looking up with a
smile She will want them when she
comes back, if the mayor of Minneapo-
lis
But the fireman did not wait to hear
more. He caught her up in his arms and
rushed through the flame and smoke, down
the stairs; and somebody, following close
at his heels, picked up the doll and the
History of Cock Robin,' as they fell to
the floor.
1t was all over. The rickety little house
was burned to the ground. Mrs. Phipps
had been carried into the hotel. whose in
mates were greatly blessed in thus having
one sensation to tread so closely upon the
heels of another. She lay upon bed in
the actress room, apparently fast asleep.
She did not understand what had happened,
and it was probable that she never would
for she had been very strangely affected
when Matte, kneeling before her, had,
with tears and sobs, declared herself to be
the long lost child.
The lamp was turned low, and so placed
that its rays were shielded from the patients
face The actress had thrown aside hel
heavy cloak, and now sat doing in the
dress she had worn at the theater, with hel
long. golden hair loose and falling around
her. She heard the patient stir and speak
and went towards her.
But her talk was rambling and discon
nected-a vague babble about Matte anC
the angels the confused speech of those
who upon the border land of life see vision:
of happier home
Presently knock sounded upon the door
When she answered it she found the man
ager standing upon the threshold.
I'VE start at in the morning." he said
} Hadn't you better get some reSt?"
f She shook her head without speaking.
You are going, amt you?" with toucl
| of misgiving.
D II cannot"
S ''You will lose your place"
/ She smiled a little sad smile, and said:
: Il cannot go, my duty is here. l hav
i done with the stage forever"
Her story got out. She did not wan
e friends who, partly from kindness an
i partly from other reasons, came to see tt
r heroine of this sad tale. They did wha
b., they could for the orphans, securing ther
e homes among people who considered thei
O services an equivalent for their food an
: clothing; and when Matte went away sh
took with her the carewOrn little sister wit
! a vow that she would fill the place to her c
r their dead mother and bring childhood bac
:. to her if possible And this vow, ami
many mutations of fortune and many diff